Quick finder (main website):
Home
| Services | Experience | Portfolio | FAQ | Advice
| About me | Contact
Quick finder (advertising blog only):
Ad Blog
main page | Monthly archives | Forward
to February
January 30, 2004
More somewhat wrong-headed commentary on Super Bowl advertising. Here’s an article,
from The Daily Oakland Press (Oakland, CA) online edition:
Advertising
copywriter blog link
Lame quote, from a spokesperson for struggling car brand DaimlerChrysler: “No
event, no opportunity presents the male 18-34 demographic like the Super Bowl does.”
One wonders if they’ve heard of this newfangled thing called the Internet yet?
Back to the top of the page
January 29, 2004
I’ve tried to avoid it, but commentary on Super Bowl advertising is heating up. The
buzz about some commercials is so big, that the commercials themselves are bound to be
anticlimactic. Here’s an article, from my hometown paper, the San Diego (CA) Union-Tribune:
Advertising
copywriter blog link
See also my comment on January 23. If the buzz overshadows the commercials, and the
commercials overshadow the message, is that really making the most of the selling
opportunity? With the Super Bowl audience, as with any other audience, it comes down to
consistency. It’s not about airing one Super Bowl commercial. It’s
about establishing a tradition of Super Bowl commercials, as Anheuser-Busch has done.
Then, through sheer weight of annual repetition, the advertising becomes part of the
collective consciousness, just as good holiday brand advertising has done (see December 15
for more on that topic). That’s how advertising can be an effective part of a
branding strategy. But, with the Super Bowl, it’s a very expensive tactic.
Back to the top of the page
January 27, 2004
The Super Bowl isn’t the only major news event attracting advertising tie-ins. There
are also the Mars rover landings. Here’s the story, from the Wisconsin State
Journal:
Advertising
copywriter blog link
Relating a product or service to a news event is a case of attracting viewership
through borrowed interest. The real creative trick lies in repaying that interest with
relevance and memorability. Do the four advertising and promotional tie-ins mentioned do
that? My opinion: Spirit Airlines, yes; Long John Silver’s, no; Juniper Networks, no;
Audi, yes.
Back to the top of the page
January 26, 2004
Marketing a city has its challenges, not the least of which is dealing with public opinion
once word leaks out about the cost of a branding campaign. According to this story from
the Denver (CO) Post, the people of Grand Junction, Colorado are not happy:
Advertising
copywriter blog link
As an advertising creative, I’d have to say (a) I like the concept but (b)
this execution of that concept misses the mark. The need to modify it to fit on city
vehicles, street signs, and uniform patches reflects a lack of good design procedure.
However, I wonder what else was in the 40 to 50 designs originally presented, because what
ended up being produced has the definite odor of a committee. See my entry on January 15
for a similar project, a different story, and a happier ending.
Back to the top of the page
January 25, 2004
This article about new advertising media, in my hometown Sunday paper, just begged to be
shared. Here’s the story, ripped from the front page of the San Diego (CA) Union-Tribune:
Advertising
copywriter blog link
I think most of this advertising is less “intrusive” and more simple background noise. And, most of it isn’t really new. Mobile billboards have been around for years – we used to call them “bootlegs.” Key quote from a provider of fruit-label advertising stickers: “I honestly don't know if mine are [effective], but I do know it is definitely less expensive [than traditional media].”
An ineffective advertising medium, at any cost, is too expensive. Ultimately, it comes
down to crafting an advertising message that resonates with the person reading or viewing
it, just as with mass media. The only difference, is that the opportunity may be even more
targeted, which should improve creative. By the way, the last line of the article, about
the sponsored hymns in church services? Back in 1979, author Jonathan Raban ran into a
church in Illinois that was already doing just that (Old Glory, New York: Penguin
Books, 1982. Ch. 6, p. 187-188).
Back to the top of the page
January 23, 2004
The buzz about Super Bowl ads has started, and Game Day is still more than a week away.
Here’s the article, from the Arizona Daily Sun:
Advertising
copywriter blog link
I guess I’m old-fashioned, but I still maintain that whether (or not) the Super
Bowl is a good media buy depends on the market the advertiser is trying to reach, with
what message, at what profit margin. When advertising becomes part of the entertainment,
that’s fun – but is it marketing?
Back to the top of the page
January 21, 2004
Copywriter Jeff Goodby and art director Rich Silverstein of Goodby, Silverstein &
Partners, are inducted into the One Club Creative Hall of Fame. Here’s the story,
from the San Francisco Chronicle (CA):
Advertising
copywriter blog link
What is there to add? These are two of the advertising industry’s living greats,
and, thankfully, they are still at work creating wonderful, effective, daring ads that,
dammit, push all of us to work a little harder.
Back to the top of the page
January 19, 2004
Interactive television is not yet widespread, yet the advertising opportunities are
already looking to be unique. Here’s an article, from The Guardian (UK):
Advertising
copywriter blog link
Yes, the article is mostly about events in England, but look at some of the
data points. A whopping 70% of marketing directors who have tried interactive TV believe
it’s a worthwhile use of media dollars, and that survey is backed up by figures
showing a high level of repeat advertisers. One interactive ad for an ordinary dishwashing
detergent pulled viewers away from programming (and other ads) for an average of seven
minutes. That represents an incredible opportunity to sell. Far from being the end of
TV advertising, interactive TV could be just the beginning for creatives who understand
both advertising and sales.
Back to the top of the page
January 15, 2004
How many people does it take to write a state slogan? About 22,000. The State of
Pennsylvania ran a contest, encouraging people to “Penn a Phrase for
Pennsylvania.” Here’s the article, from the Philadelphia Inquirer (PA):
Advertising
copywriter blog link
The five slogan finalists are all quite good: “Discover Our Good Nature,” “Liberty’s Landscape,” “Liberty Loves Company,” “Pursue Happiness,” and “The State of Independence.” Voting takes place online, and people can vote as often as they wish until February 13. The winner will be announced in mid-February.
Now, how is public voting on a slogan better than a committee decision? First, no
single person has veto power - it would take coordination on a large scale to defeat an
otherwise popular choice. Second, tweaks aren’t permitted (you can just hear
some committee member mixing and matching to bring forth “Discover the Landscape of
Liberty”). Third, to the extent that a committee was involved, it merely selected
finalists, a much lighter responsibility than selecting a single, final slogan. All of
which is why all of these slogan choices are considerably stronger than what has
been produced in the past.
Back to the top of the page
January 13, 2004
Can a long-standing military insignia be trademarked for non-military applications, even
if those applications include products with definite crossover, such as clothing? Well, in
Britain today, the Ministry of Defense lost a court battle to retain all rights to the
blue, white, and red “target” symbol that has stood for the Royal Air Force
since there was a Royal Air Force. Here’s the story, from BBC News:
Advertising
copywriter blog link
It seems that, in the court’s opinion, the symbol entered the public domain in the
1960s, when it was adopted as a pop icon. One wonders whom the RAF should have sued, back
then, in order to better establish their precedent. Individual shopkeepers? Fashion
magazines? The entire Mod movement?
Back to the top of the page
January 12, 2004
I’ve ranted here before about the convergence of advertising and programming, and how
it is identical to what happened in the early days of radio (why do you think they were
called soap operas?). Now, an ad agency is considering turning a humorous ad
campaign for beer into an hour-long television show. Here’s the report, from Ad
Age:
Advertising
copywriter blog link
It will be interesting to see how this trend plays out. I predict that, at some point,
the FTC and FCC will get involved, beyond the rules that were created in response to the
radio serials of some 80 years ago. Then, the advertising industry will lumber onto the
next Big Thing. Also, just between you and me, I wonder whether copywriters who can’t
persuade in 30 seconds will manage any better given 30 minutes.
Back to the top of the page
January 11, 2004
It’s Sunday, but this article about the upcoming Super Bowl and advertising, from Reuters,
was too good to pass up:
Advertising
copywriter blog link
Yes, jokes are overused in advertising - and I don’t mean humor, I mean jokes.
Instead of persuading, many advertisers settle for entertaining. Their ads build up to a
punchline, not a competitive edge. However, there’s also something to be said about
context. The Super Bowl is a game. A great, big game. Is it any wonder that
ads should capitalize on the audience’s inclination toward fun? The most-effective
ads, though, will be those that go for profit as well as laughs.
Back to the top of the page
January 9, 2004
More regional branding, this time a project to brand Salem, Massachusetts. This article,
from the Herald Media Company’s North Shore (Lynnfield, MA), explores
two marketing experts’ conflicting opinions about what Salem stands for and what the
branding should be:
Advertising
copywriter blog link
Two unequal but equally opposite models might be, say, Williamsburg, Virginia vs. Santa Fe, New Mexico. One uses its history as a goldmine, the other as a launching pad; together they prove opportunities for profitable growth in both directions.
I have been part of branding assignments for cities, tourism bureaus, and regional
authorities. Everything in this article rings true, from the overly broad brief, to the
shoestring budget, to the multitudes involved (all seemingly invested with veto power).
And, at the very core, an idea that transcends politics and transforms a place if
the people just get behind it.
Back to the top of the page
January 7, 2004
An article reviewing recent developments in a multi-organizational effort to brand
Scotland, from the The Scotsman. What I like about it, is that it also explores the
challenges of branding a nation:
Advertising
copywriter blog link
As an outsider - and this is why outside counsel is sometimes valuable - I would say
that Scotland already has a brand image. The marketing problem lies, not in the brand, but
in how to communicate that brand to attract tourism, industry, and investments. It’s
not a matter of a logo, or a slogan, or a positioning statement. It’s a matter of communication,
pure and simple. At some point, you have to move through strategy and get tactical.
Back to the top of the page
January 6, 2004
Suddenly, mixed-race or racially ambiguous people are the hot trend in advertising.
Here’s the article, from the New York Times via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel:
Advertising
copywriter blog link
Yes, this trend reflects the twin realities of increasing ethnic diversity and
convergence. But, here’s the trap. The widespread popularity of using “racially
ambiguous” people in ads doesn’t necessarily imply their societal acceptance,
any more than the widespread popularity of jazz in the 20s and 30s meant acceptance for
Black men and women. When people are not people but things, like new faces in ads
or new sounds in music, they often end up co-opted by the very establishment to whom they
represent nascent revolution. Need proof? Just look at the photos that accompany
the article. Do you notice that all the sample shots are either light-skinned
people or somewhat-dark-skinned people photographed to look light-skinned? Are there
really faces of color there? Or are faces of color just getting more White?
Back to the top of the page
January 5, 2004
More people talking sense about the stupidity of brand extensions in the form of product
or service “bundling.” Here’s the article, from The Globe and Mail,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada:
Advertising
copywriter blog link
One key quote here is also a paraphrase of one of my favorite quotes from Bill Bernbach
(the B in DDB): “the heart of creativity is discipline.” Too often, I
see people mistake addleheadedness for creativity, a delusion which unfortunately persists
right up into the boardroom.
Back to the top of the page
January 2, 2004
Gosh darn it, I’m a sucker for these end-of-year advertising reviews from all over
the world. Here’s one from India, found at Rediff.com:
Advertising
copywriter blog link
What is being seen here, is part of the worldwide rise of emotional branding.
That’s what lies behind the tactical use of children, dogs, and nostalgia. Emotional
branding is also the driving force behind the “edgy” creative executions aimed
at the ever-growing, ever-richer youth market. (My comment there is that exclusionary
marketing, in which advertisers attempt to appeal to one group by offending or appearing
to offend another, is not quite the same thing as target marketing, but
that’s probably a subject for an entire article.)
Back to the top of the page
Backwards in time to December 2003
Main page | Consumer goods | Food services | Free red pen | Healthcare | Hospitality & tourism | Internet | Manufacturing | Packaged goods | Portfolio | Real estate & construction | Retail & restaurants | Service | Technology
Why should you hire me as your advertising copywriter? | FAQ
Advertising strategy and other lies
An advertising copywriter’s bookshelf:
recommended books
Brands and branding: a white paper
Do you make these mistakes in
advertising?
Free (yes, free) advertising copywriting
resources
Four ad copy traps that ensnare even
experienced copywriters
How to
become an advertising copywriter
How to write a brochure: advice from an advertising copywriter
How to write better ads
Long John Silver on writing ads
More career advice: what’s it like being
an advertising copywriter?
Napoleon’s advice to entrepreneurs,
Part I: starting the enterprise
Napoleon’s advice to entrepreneurs,
Part II: the entrepreneurial character
Napoleon’s advice to entrepreneurs,
Part III: growing the enterprise
The economy (and what to do about it)
The Tightwad
Marketing project
Advertising copywriting
mentorship
Back to the top of the page
Awards & honors | Curriculum vitae | Services
Phone and fax: (619) 465-6100
John Kuraoka, freelance advertising copywriter
6877 Barker Way
San Diego, California
92119-1301